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# Installation and Setup

Make sure you have NodeJS v18 or higher.

## Using create-llama

The easiest way to get started with LlamaIndex is by using `create-llama`. This CLI tool enables you to quickly start building a new LlamaIndex application, with everything set up for you.

Just run

<Tabs>
<TabItem value="1" label="npm" default>

```bash
npx create-llama@latest
```

</TabItem>
<TabItem value="2" label="Yarn">

```bash
yarn create llama
```

</TabItem>
<TabItem value="3" label="pnpm">

```bash
pnpm create llama@latest
```

</TabItem>
</Tabs>

to get started. Once your app is generated, run

```bash npm2yarn
npm run dev
```

to start the development server. You can then visit [http://localhost:3000](http://localhost:3000) to see your app

## Installation from NPM

```bash npm2yarn
npm install llamaindex
```

### Environment variables

Our examples use OpenAI by default. You'll need to set up your Open AI key like so:

```bash
export OPENAI_API_KEY="sk-......" # Replace with your key from https://platform.openai.com/account/api-keys
```

If you want to have it automatically loaded every time, add it to your `.zshrc/.bashrc`.

WARNING: do not check in your OpenAI key into version control.
